Anti-rattle latch



Sept. 24, 1957 E. SCHLAGE ANTI-RATTLE LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14. 1954 INVENTOR. ERNEST 1.. .SCHLA GE BY M, M 95% ATTOQNEYS E. l... SCHLAGE ANTI-RATTLE LATCH Sept. 24, 1957 -'2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1954 /a 4 INVENTOR.

ERNEST L. scHLAaE BY W, WW4! ATTORNEYS United States PatentiOfiice 2,807,488 ANTI-RATTLE LATCH Ernest L. Schlage, Burlingame, Califi, assignor to Schiagc Lock Company, a corporation Application October 14, 1954, Serial No. 462,277

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-2) gage the inner edge of the opening in the strike plate,

which the bolt enters, for holding the door closed against its associated stop.

Ideally, the strike plate should be mounted so that when the bolts planar surface is in engagement with the edge of the strike opening the door will fit snugly against its stop and be held relatively immovable between such edge and such stop. Due to the flexibility, fatigue, and shrinkage of the materials of which the door and frame are usually made and to the settling of the structure in which the door may be mounted, the above described ideal condition is rarely met. Even though the latch andstrike plate may be carefully and accurately installed, a short interval of use ordinarily destroys such accuracy and renders the closed door loose with respect to the stop. The door may then be oscillated, rattling the latch bolt against the strike. 1

Not only may such rattling be annoying to the building inhabitants and persons using the door, but unauthorized entry may be permitted thereby. Where a gap exists between a door and its associated stop, his often possible for unauthorized persons to slip a thin card or the like intosuch gap and between the latch bolt and the strike to cam the bolt rearwardly and open the door.

It is therefore a main object of this invention to provide means for preventing the rattling of a latch bolt against its associated strike.

It is another object of this invention to provide means toassure the tight engagement of a closed door with its associated stop.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a spring projected wedge to yieldably urge a latch bolt and a door upon which it is mounted toward the door stop. I

' It is a further object of thisinvention to provide means obviating the necessity of accurately positioning'a latch strike with respect to a door stop, and yet retaining the desirable characteristics of accurate and careful installa-- tion of a door latch assembly.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings in'which: V

Fig. 1 isa horizontal, sectional viewtak en through a latch housing and the portion of a door and frame adjacent'thereto showing one form of the antirattle member of this invention in operative relation to the door latch.

and strike; g v r Fig. "2 is a perspective view of the edge of a" portion of a door showing the latch bolt and the antirattle member of Fig. 1 projecting therefrom;

- Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified placement of the antirattle member of Fig. 1 for use with a dead latch;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified form of antirattle member;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing another the free edge of a door 3. Door 3 is adapted to swing about its hinges (not shown) in and out of frame 4 upon which is mounted a strike plate 5 having a central opening 6 therein. When door 3 is in the closed position shown it is adapted to abut stop 7 which is mounted on frame 4 opposite the operative edge 8 of opening 6.

The open forward end 9 of housing 1 is flanged so as to be secured between face plate 10 and back plate 11 which are joined together and secured to door 3 by screws 12 (Fig. 2). The other or rear end 13 of housing 1 is closed except for a central aperture 14. Face plate 10 is centrally apertured as at 15 to permit re'ciprocable latch bolt 16 to project therethrough.

Latch bolt 16 is formed, outwardly of face plate 10, to a cross section congruent with opening 15 and said latch bolt is provided with forwardly directed shoulders 17, 18 to act as stops to prevent withdrawal of bolt 16 through face plate 10.

Extending rearwardly from said latch bolt is latch bar 19, the rearwardly directed end of which extends through aperture 14. Latoh bar 19 is provided for the purpose of connecting bolt 16 to a conventional retractor (not shown) to reciprocate latch bolt 16 longitudinally of housing 1.

The forward end of bolt 16 is provided with strike surface 20 inclined to the longitudinal axis of housing 1 and bolt 16. The front of said bolt is also formed with a spring 24 which abuts guide member 27 at the rear face of bolt 16 and plate 25 adjacent closed end 13 of housing 1 for the purpose of projecting latch bolt 16. Plate 25.

is provided with rearwardly extending dogs 26 for securementto the aforementioned retractor assembly.-

In operation of the latch described, upon swinging door 3 toward frame 4 strike surface 20 engages strike plate 5 thereby camming latch .bolt 16 inwardly of housing-1. When door 3 engages stop 7 the correct position of strike plate 5 is such that the outer or forward end of bolt 16 enters opening 6 and planar, strike-edge-engaging surface 21 slides closely adajacent edge 8 of such opening. Bolt 16 thereby prevents opening of door 3 except by retraction of said latch bolt. I

In order to prevent the aforementioned rattling of latch bolt 16 in opening 6, where the adjustment of strike plate edge 8 and door stop 7 are such that the distance therebetween is appreciably greater than the distance between planar surface 21 and the inner face of door 3, the latch mechanism described is provided with antirattle element 30. Such element is formed with a wedge surface 31 inclined to the longitudinal axis of housing 1 opposite to "the inclination of strike surface 20. Opposite surface Patented Sept. 24, 1957" Element 30 is likewise reciprocable longitudinally f housing 1 andis provided with a rearwardly extending tubular guide33 reciprocable: on spring guidefrod Surrounding tubular guide 33 and rod 34 is a helical 6011 spring 35 which abuts element 30 on one'end andiplate 25 on the other. Spring 35 therefore yieldablyprojects element 30 outwardly of housing 1. Element 30, tubular guide 33, guide rod 34, and spring 35 are seen to be preferably positioned on the opposite side of latch .bar 19 from tubular guide 22, guide rod 23, and spring Opening 15 in face plate 10 is recessed at one edge, as at 36, to allow passage of element 30. Bolt 16 may also be provided with recess 37 through which element 30 reciprocates. A forwardly directed shoulder 38 may also be provided on ,element 30 for engaging the rear side of latch bolt 16. In this manner, when element 30 is projected to its foremost position with shoulder 38 in engagement with said rear end of bolt 16, spring 35 also acts to project said bolt. Anangle guide 39 having one bifurcated leg 40 positioned between a pair of shoulders 41, 42 on element 30 and the other leg 43 parallel to and slidable along latch bar 19 may be provided to additionally guide element 30 in a parallel path to the longitudinal axis of housing 1.

In operation, the forward end ofelement 30 is adapted to wedge between planar surface 21 of latch bolt 16 and edge 8 of strike. to yieldably urge door 3 against stop 7. Therefore, any difference in adjustment of strike plate 5, allowing an appreciable space to exist between surface 21 and edge 8 when door 3 is in tight engagement with stop 7, is taken up by antirattle element 30. It is obvious that the greater the space between surface 21 and edge 8 the farther element30 will be projected by spring 35 in order to take up the slack. Because of the small angle of inclination and the available length of surface 31 the range of operation of element 30 is quite large.

Fig. 3 illustrates a latch similar in construction to that previously described comprising a latch bolt 46 having a vertical, planar, strikeaedge-engaging surface 48 (similar to surface 21 of Figs. 1, 2) projecting through a face plate 45 secured to door 3. The position of antirattle element 50, having inclined surfaceSl, has been moved downwardly on surface 48 from the central position shown in Fig. 2, to accommodateconventional deadlockingplunger, .47, also adjacent surface.48.' Plunger 47 operates in accordance with the principles described in PatentNo. 2,613,094 issued October 7, 1952, and is for the purpose of preventing retraction of latch bolt 46 when plunger 47 is held in the, retracted position by the surface of strike plate 5. The latch is thereby converted to a dead latch.

The constructionand operation of antirattle element 50 is substantially similar to that described for element 30, and, as shown in Fig. 3, provides added advantages to a dead latch.

, Itis obvious that antirattle element 30 must be independent of latch bolt 16 because, inclining planar surface 21 to perform the same function would render latch bolt16 capableof being cammedinwardly by edge 8 of strike plate1 5 upon urging door 3 'outwardlyof frame 4. To prevent such camming inwardly of the antirattle element a modified form thereof, generally designated 52, is shown in Fig. 4. Instead of a planar inclined surface, antirattle element 52 is provided with stepped surface 53 which performs the similar function of wedging itself betweenstrike-edge-engaging surface 54 of latch bolt 55 and edge 8 of strike plate 5, as previously described. Antirattle element 52 and latch bolt 55 are otherwise similar in construction and operation to latch bolt 16 and antirattle element 30. .Since the faces of the steps of surface 53 are generally'parallel to the direction of reciprocation of latch bolt 55 and antirattle. element52, no component of aforce applied to open door 3 is transmitted to retract antirattle element 52.

Fig. 5 illustrates another modified form of antirattle element 56 in conjunction with a latch bolt 57. In this case, latch bolt 57 is recessed, as at 58, along strike-edgeengaging surface 59 in order to slidably receive a :portion of antirattle element 56 therein. Inclined surface 60 of said antirattle element intersects surface 59 near the outer end of latch bolt 57 in order that antirattle element 56 will enter opening 6 in strike plate 5 under all conditions of installation. Hence, even when strike plate 5 is originally installed accurately with respect to door stop 7 the outer end of antirattle element 56 will project into opening 6 rather than be forced inwardly as shown in Fig. 1., When, after use, clearance occurs between edge 8 of strike plate 5 and door stop 7 antirattle element 56 performs the function previously described in a manner similar to element 30.

Fig. 6 shows a vertically elongated antirattle element 61 having inclined surface 62 in conjunction with latch bolt 63. The vertical extent of element 61 is greater than that of latch 63 to provide engagement of the outer edges ofthe former with steps or shoulders 64 formed in the opening in face plate 65 through which element 61 and latch bolt 63 project. Hence, the inner surface of element 61 is prevented from frictionally engaging strike-edge-engaging surface 66 of latch bolt 63. In the event that antirattle element 61 is carnmed inwardly by applying a force to open door 3, as previously described, the retracting component of said force cannot be applied to latch bolt 63 by frictional engagement with antirattle element 61. Thus, the unauthorized retraction of latch bolt 63 is prevented by this means.

A fourth modified form of antirattle element, designated 67, is shown in Fig. 7 in conjunction with latch bolt 68. Element 67 is placed above rather than alongside'latch bolt 68 and is provided with a pair of 0ppositely inclined surfaces 69, 70. Surface 69 is adjacent strike-edge-engaging surface 71 of bolt 68 to perform a function similar to that performed by surface 31 of anti rattle element 30 (Fig. 1), and inclined surface 70is parallel with strike surface 72 of said latch bolt. The

operation of antirattle element 67 is substantially similar to that described for element 30 except that element 67 is cammed inwardly by the engagement of surface 70 by prevent its frictional engagement with latch bolt 68,.

in a manner similar to shoulders 64 described in Fig. 6.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, such is not to be taken as restrictive.

thereof since it is obvious that minor, modifications could be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An antirattle latch comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in a door, a latch bolt reciprocable longi tudinally of said housing and having a vertical, planar surface on 'one side thereof parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said bolt and engageable with the edge of a strike in the door frame for holding said door closed against its associated stop, a latch bar extending longitudinally, rearwardly fromsaid latch bolt for actuation by a retractor, a first spring yieldably projecting said latch bolt, a; parallel, reciprocable, antirattle element having one side alongside said planar surfaces and with its opposite side inclined to said planar, surface of said latch bolt and engageable with said edge of said strike,

a second spring projecting said element for applying a lateral force to said edge to urge said latch bolt and said door against stop, a face plate. adapted to be secured to the forward edge of a door and having an opening through which said latch bolt and said element project, a shoulder formed in said opening adjacent said one side other than the inclined surfaced side of said element for preventing frictional engagement between said element and said latch bolt.

2. An antirattle latch comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in a door, a latch bolt reciprocable longitudinally of said housing between retracted and projected positions and provided with one lateral face engageable with the edge of a strike in a doorframe for holding said door closed against its associated stop, a latch bar extending longitudinally rearwardly from said latch bolt for actuation by a retractor, a first spring yieldably projecting said latch bolt, an antirattle element supported for reciprocable movement alongside said latch bolt and provided with a surface slantingly disposed relative to its direction of reciprocation and engageable with an edge of said strike, a second spring projecting said element independently of said latch bolt for applying a lateral force to said edge to urge said door against said stop, a face plate secured to the edge of said door and having an opening through which said latch bolt and said element project, a shoulder formed in said face plate and partially defining said opening and engaged by said element during reciprocation thereof for preventing lateral movement of said element toward said bolt.

3. An antirattle latch comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in a door, a latch bolt reciprocable longitudinally of said housing between retracted and projected positions and provided with one lateral face engageable with the edge of a strike in a doorframe for holding said door closed against its associated stop, a latch bar extending longitudinally rearwardly from said latch bolt for actuation by a retractor, a first spring yieldably projecting said latch bolt, an antirattle element supported for reciprocable movement alongside said latch bolt and provided with a surface slantingly disposed relative to its direction of reciprocation and engageable with an edge of said strike, a second spring projecting said element independently of said latch bolt for applying a lateral force to said edge to urge said door against said stop, a face plate secured to the edge of said door and having an opening through which said latch bolt and said element project, a shoulder formed in said face plate and partially defining said opening and engaged by said element during reciprocation thereof for preventing lateral movement of said element toward said bolt, said element being positioned alongside a lateral face of said bolt other than said one face.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 241,668 Keil May 17, 1881 281,109 Milton July 10, 1883 850,840 Ledford Apr. 16, 1907 1,278,254 Taylor Sept. 10, 1918 1,325,970 Zwierzina Dec. 23, 1919 1,502,359 Taylor July 22, 1924 1,808,219 Hall June 2, 1931 2,230,096 Voight Jan. 28, 1941 2,591,647 Welch Apr. 1, 1952 2,645,516 Robertson July 14, 1953 

